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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. H. EAMESL DEVICE FOR REPINING METALLIC 0115s. No. 391,034. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

N. PETERS. Fhnln-Lilhognpher, Washington, D. n:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. H. H. EAMES.

DEVICE FOR REPINING METALLIG 01158. No. 391,034. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

p jl m @Homxct I Q I N PETERS. PhotnLnnngl-lphcr. Wuhingtou. n c

UNITED STATES HENRY-H. EAMES, OF BALTIMORE PATENT OFFICE.

, MARYLAND.

DEVICE FOR REFINING METALLIC ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110391.034, dated Qctober 16} 1888.

Application filed April 30. 1888.

To all 1072,0777, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HENRY H. EAMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Marylanchhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Refining Metallic Ores; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreferenee marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the mechanism employed in roasting metallic ores in the process of purifying; and it consists of certain devices whereby a current of electricity is caused to pass through the mass of heated ore and produce therein such molecular change that the foreign substances thereof will be liberated and escape therefrom, the construction of the device permitting the ore to be fed continuously through the retorts and subjected to the roasting and electrolyzing action therein, and then in the refined state deposited in an air-tight vessel, all of which is accomplished by the devices hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the device, a portion of the casing removed, the furnace and one retort in section. Fig. 2 shows a cross-section, enlarged, through the retort, the section being indicated by the lineA A in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section through the retort, somewhat enlarged, the section be ing indicated by the line B B in Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a view looking down on the device shown in Fig. 1, a part of the cover removed. Fig. 5 is a detailed view looking down on the re tort, the cover of the hopper thereof removed. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modification of thedevice, a part of the wall forming the easing removed, showing separate receiving-vessels for each retort and a modification of the method of sealing the vent of the retort, a part of one receivingvessel and a part of the retort shown in section.

The same figures refer to the same orsimilar parts throughout the several views.

The figure 8 denotes the casing of the de Vice, which may be constructed of either Serial No. 272,309.

(No nn dcl.)

iron, as shown in Fig. l. or it may be formed of brick, as shown in Fig. 6. when iron is employed it being preferred to line the inside thereof with fire-clay, 9, or some like insulating material, to retain its heat. Placed inside of this casing S are the retorts 10, which are made of the cylindrical form shown, the lower ends extending through the bottom of the casing, and having thereon a valve, 12, the slide 11 of which forms the bottom of the retort, and the flanges 18 thereof serving to support the casing. The upper ends or" these retorts 10, which extend through the top of the casing, are provided with a hop per, 14., thereon for convenience of charging the retorts, a cover, 15, with which the hopper is provided, serving to render this top airtight and prevent the escape of gases therethrough. a vent for the retort being formed by the pipe 16, through which the gases from the roasting-ore escape into the interior of the casing, and with the products of combustion from the furnace 17 pass out the smoke-pipe 18, a damper, 19, being placed in this ventpipe, with its handle 20 operating from out side the casing; or a trap, 33, (shown in Fig. 6,) may be employed, whereby the accumulating pressure in the retorts will be automatt cally relieved and an in flow of air prevented.

The furnace 17 may be of any of theknown forms, wherefrom the heated gases will pass through the fine 21 into the interior of the 021s ing 8 and impinge on the exposed surfaces of the retorts, which are so distributed in the said casing as to receive the greatest action from these heated gases in their passage to the smoke-pipe 18.

Under the retorts 10 is placed the air-tight receiving-vessel22, in such position that when the slide 11, which forms the bottom of the retort, is opened the roasted ore therefrom will drop into the said receiving-vessel, and there be cooled out of contact with the air, a door, 23, permitting the removal of the purified ore from the receiver.

Instead of having the one large receivingvessel 22 shown in Fig. 1, there may be employed a separate receiver, 22 for each re tort, as shown in Fig. 6, a slide, 11, forming the bottom of the retort 10, under which fits tightly the mouth 3i of the receiver22t, to exclude the air. These independent receivers 221- possess the advantage of permitting the purified ore to be more conveniently handled, as they can be readily removed and replaced by others, a sliding cover, 35, with which the mouthjof this vessel is provided, being closed before its removal from the retort, thus excluding the air, and in this condition allowing the ore contained therein to become cool.

I now come to the particular construction of the retorts 10 by which a current of electricity is caused to pass through the ore during the process of roasting, and in consequence ofthe electrolyzing action therefrom such molecular change is produced in the ore in the heated state that the foreign matter is liberated and carried off.

As represented in the drawings, the retorts 10 are of cylindrical form, and may be built of brick, or, as shown, the casing 24 thereof may be of iron, in which case, to preserve proper insulation for the elcct-rolyzing process, the interior of the retort is lined with fire-clay,25, or some suitable insulating material that will stand the temperature to which the retort is subjected. On theinuer surface of this lining 25 are placed the metal plates 26 and 27,which are of a segmental form and are set opposite one to the other, and are extended nearly the entire length of the retort, thus forming a partial additional lining to the retort. Attached to these metal plates 26 and 27 are the con ductingrods 28, which extend outside of the retoit and may be extended through the outer casing, 8, and which are connected by means of the conductingwires 30 to the poles of a dynamo or galvanic battery, suitable insulating-bushes 29 being provided in the metallic casings 8 and 24 to preserve the proper insulation at these points, whereby the plates 26 and 27 will form the terminals of the said dynamo or battery.

The manner of operating is as follows: The device is especially designed for the treatment of iron ore and to drive off the sulphur and phosphorus contained therein. The slide 11 being elosed,the retorts 10 are charged with the iron ore 31, which has previously been broken into lumps of convenient size through the hopper 14, a suitable quantity of carbon andlimestone having been placed in the retort with the ore, after which the cover 15 is closed and rendered air-tight by some suitable locking device,32. Atthis point the damper 19,should it be employed, is closed to prevent the inflow into the retort ofthe gases from the furnace 17, this operation being automatically performed when the trap 33 is employed. The retorts all having been charged,fire is started in the fur nace 17, and the heated gases therefrom pass through the due 21 into the interior of the casing 8 and impinge on the exposed surfaces of the retorts 10. after which the said gases pass out through the smoke pipe 18 and escape into the atmosphere. After the ore in the re tort has become suificientl y heated to cause the evolved gases therefrom to pass through the vent 16, the damper 19 is opened, which result is produced automatically when the trap 33 is employed by the pressure in the retort causing the air to pass through the water and escape through the pipe 33%. At this stage of the operation the electrical current is established through the wires 30, the plates 26 and 27, and the ore 31, which fills the space between the said plates, the metallic character of the ore possessing sufficient conductivity to complete the electric circuit, and the ore in this heated and electrolyzed state undergoes such a molecular change that a complete liberation of the phosphorus and sulphur contained therein will result, and a pure metallic spongy iron be produced in a proper state to be converted into steel.

The process may be made continuous by opening and closing at intervals the slide 11 and allowing a part of the refined ore to drop into the receiving-vessel, wherein it is kept out of contact with the air until thoroughly cooled, new particles of ore being supplied to the retort through the hopper 14 to replace that removed therefrom, by which operation a continuous line of the ore may be caused to pass through the retort and therein subjected to the heating and electrolyzing action, as specified.

Having described my invention and the manner of operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent,is--

1. A device for refining metallic ore, consisting of a retort provided in the interior thereof with insulated metallic plates which form the terminals of a galvanic cell or dynamo, said metallic plates extending the entire length of that part of the interior of the retort which is charged with the ore, and secured sufficiently far apart one from the other to prevent the passage therebetween of the electric current without an intervening conductor therefor, the ore to be treated with which the retort is charged and by which the electric circuit is completed between the said metallic plates and the current thereof distributed through the mass of the said ore, and means for heating the ore in the said retort, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device for refining metallic ore, the combination ofa closed retort lined with some suitable insulating material, the insulated plates 26 and 27,forming an additional partial lining to said retort, the said plates 26 and 27 forming the electrodes of an electric circuit, the ore to be treated by which the electric circuit between the said plates 26 and 27 is completed, a vent to the said retort having therein the trap 33, a sliding bottom, 11, for discharging the retort, and means for heating the ore in the said retort, for the purpose set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. EAMES.

W'i t n esses:

J NO. T. MADDox, WM. L. BAILIE. 

